Alarm for automobiles



Dec. 11, .1928. 1,694,842

z.- A. CURTIS ALARM FOR AQTQMOBILES Filed Aug-l6. 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 V gwuvm to'o 2216117225;

D;1 1, 192& I 1,694,842

2. A. CURTIS 4 ALARM FOR AUTOIOBILES F iled Aug-16. 19 1 2 Shasta-Sheet 2 2A (z/fizz Patented Dec. 11, 19 28.

UNITED, STATES ZENAS ALBERT CURTIS, or CIMARRON, NEW MEXICO, assreivoiaor onn-nrern'rnmo MERLIN S. COOK, OF LANSD'OWNE, PENNSYLVANIA,

ALARIVI FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed August 16, 1921 Serial No. 492,826.

This invention relates to an alarm for use in connectionwith motor vehicles, one of its objects being to provide a structure adapted to be attached to and actuated by the main driving shaft of a motor vehicle, the alarm being electrically controlled fr'om'the dash.

A further object is to provide an alarm which is simple and compact inqconstruction, can be manufactured at low cost, can be installed readily, andwill not easily getout of order. j

Vith the I foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that, within the scope of what is claimed, changes in the precise embodiment of the invention shown can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the pre-- ferred form of the invention has been shown.

. In said drawings- Figure 1 is a sectionthrough the housing showing the alarm mechanism partly in section and partly in elevation, a part of the main drivin shaft being shown and the electrical contro ling means being illustrated in diagram. i i

Figure 2 is asection on line 22, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on line 33, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a plan view of one end portion of the shifting rod.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates a box or container of any suitable construction having a cover 2 adapted to be fastened securely thereon by any suitable means so that access cannot be had to the interior of the box by unauthorized persons. This container is divided by a partition 3 into two compartments indicated at 4 and 5 respectively and the main driving shaft 6 of the vehicle is extended through these two compartments and'is journalled in the box, there being any suitable means, such as collars 7 for preventing the box from shifting longitudinally relative to the shaft.

Mounted on thatportion of the shaft 6 within the compartment 4 is a split gear 8' which meshes under certain conditions with a gear 9 slidably mounted on a shaft 10. This shaft is concealed within the housing 1 and is journaled in one end wall of the housing and in the partition 3 and has one end sup- 1 solenoids can be energized.

ported freely within the compartment 5. Gear 9 is feathered on the shaft'lO and'has a collar 11 provided with an annular groove 12 into which projectpins 13 extending from a fork 14 at one end of a lever 15. The/other end of this lever is also forked as shown at 16 and at an intermediate point the leveris fulcrumed on a bracket 17, the pivotal pointbeing indicated at 18." A spring 19 engagesthelever and servesto hold the gear 9 normally out of mesh with the gear 8. Secured in'the compartment 5 is-aguide block 20 having an opening 21 extending therethrough in which is slidably mounted a shifting strip 22. A finger 23 is provided at one end of this strip and projects laterally into the fork 16. Spaced openings 24 and 25 are provided in that portion of the strip 22 located in the block 20. Additional spaced openings 26 and 27are provided in the block 20 and open into the passage or opening 21. These openings 26 and 27 are closer'together than are the open ings 24 and 25 so that when one of theopenings in the strip 22 registers with one of the openings in the block 20, the other opening in said strip will be out of register with the other opening in the block 20.

Mounted within the compartment 5 are spaced solenoids 28 and 29 each having a slidable core 30 and 31respectiv'ely located above or in alignment with the respective openings 26 and 27 .7 These cores, which are in the form of bolts, are connected to opposite" arms of a lever 32 sothat when one of the t cores is moved upwardly or in. one direction the other core will be moved positivelyin the opposite direction. 1

Abell 33 is supported within the housing 1 and secured to the free end of the shaft 10" are oppositely extending arms 34 carrying strikers 35. i t

The solenoids are in separate circuits with a battery or other source. of electrical energy indicated at 36 and a key controlled switch 37 located at the dash of the vehicle is used for closing either circuit so that either of the Under normal conditions the shaft 6 rotate without actuating the shaft 10 because the gears Sand 9 are out of mesh. When it will is desired to couple thealarm to the shaft6, 7 however, the operator thrusts the strip 22 by any suitable means so as to bring the opening25 into register with the opening 27 The switch 37 isthen shifted to energize the solenoid 28. his will cause the core 30 to be attracted and motion will be transmitted thereby through the lever 32 to the core 31 which will thus be projected into the openings 27 and and lock the stri Y 22 against movement. Accordingly when t e vehicle is driven motion will be transmitted to the shaft 10 and the bell 33 will be sounded continuously. To stop the operation of the alarm while the shaft 6 is rotating it necessary to actuate the lock so as to disengage the strip 22 so that said strip can be shifted to move the gear 9 out of mesh with the gear 8 and to bring opening 24 into register with opening 26. With the parts thus located they can, if desired, be locked by energizing the solenoid 29. V

Openings 38 can be provided in the housing 1 to allow the sound of the bell to escape freely. a

What is claimed is The combination with the drive shaft of a vehicle, a gear secured to and rotatable with the shaft, and spaced collars secured to the shaft, said gear interposed between the collars, of a housing supported by the shaft and held against longitudinal movement relative thereto by the collars, a second shaft journaled Within the housing, an alarm element supported within the housing, means operated by said second shaft for sounding the alarm element, a gear in the housing feathered on said second shaft, a spring controlled lever, a connection between the lever and the feathered gear for holding said gear normally out of mesh with the gear on the drive shaft, and a shifting strip connected to the lever and guided by and extending outwardly from the housing for actuating the lever to move the feathered gear into. mesh with the gear on the drive shaft, the gear and collars on the drive shaft and the housin being operatively connected to the drive s aft at any desired point thereon.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature.

ZENAS ALBERT CURTIS. 

